/usr/share/games/shogivar/Chu.rul is in shogivar-data 1.55b-1.
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==============
Chu Shogi (Middle Shogi) is a very ancient game. It was mentioned in
diaries as long ago as the twelfth century and therefore predates modern
Shogi (and the modern game of Western Chess) by centuries.
Chu was the most popular of the enlarged forms of Japanese Chess, and still
had many adherents in parts of Japan until very recent times. Chu Shogi is
the only variant (except Shogi itself) for which sets are still commercially
available in Japan.
There are many unusual and powerful pieces which make Chu a very exciting
and challenging game. The game is dominated (particularly in the early
stages) by the 'Lion', a piece totally unlike any piece in Western Chess.
There is no provision for returning captured pieces into play in Chu; the
game may therefore seem more familiar to players of the western game than
modern Shogi.
THE GAME
=========
Chu Shogi is played on a board of 12 x 12 squares and each player has 46
pieces (including 12 pawns).
As in all Shogi games, the pieces are flat and wedge-shaped and are not
distinguished by colour. Although the pieces are of uniform colour the
first player is still conventionally referred to as 'Black' and the second
player as 'White'. Ownership of the pieces is indicated by the direction
in which they face, with a player's pieces always pointing towards the
opponent.
The players make alternate moves, with the object being to capture the
opposing 'King'. If the opposing player has obtained a 'Crown Prince' by
promotion, that piece must also be captured in order to win the game.
The game can also be won by capturing all pieces except the 'King' (the
'bare king' rule). A bare King may secure a draw if it can also bare the
opposing 'King' on the following move.
On each turn a player can move one piece according to its power of
movement to a vacant square on the board, or to a square occupied by an
enemy piece (in which case the enemy piece is captured and removed from
the game).
In the case of the 'Lion' and pieces with 'Lion' power a second move can
sometimes be made in the same turn.
THE PIECES
===========
The Piece Help screen provides the names, notation symbols, promotion
details, and powers of movement for all of the pieces in the game.
[The Piece Help screen can be reached by clicking on the 'Pieces' button]
JUMPING PIECES
===============
The 'Kylin' and 'Phoenix' (and those pieces with 'Lion' powers) are the
only pieces in Chu Shogi that have the power to jump over occupied squares.
As indicated by red circles on the Piece Help screens, the 'Kylin' can jump
to the second square in any orthogonal direction, and the 'Phoenix' may
jump to the second square when moving diagonally.
THE LION
=========
The 'Lion' has a very unusual move, and a number of special rules involving
its capture.
If the 8 squares immediately adjacent to the 'Lion' are called the 'A'
squares (shown as Dark Blue Circles on the Piece Help screen), and the 16
squares two away from the piece are called the 'B' squares (represented as
Light Blue Circles), then the 'Lion' may do anyone of the following things
in a single turn:
- Move directly to any 'A' or 'B' square, jumping an intervening square
if necessary;
- Capture a piece on an 'A' square and continue moving one more square
in any direction from the point of capture, making another capture if
the 2nd square is also occupied by an enemy piece.
- Capture a piece on any 'A' square without moving (this is known as
'igui' and counts as a turn).
- Move to an adjacent square and return to the starting square
(effectively passing the turn). This move can be made by double-
clicking the left mouse button on the Lion.
The following restrictions apply to the capture of Lions in Chu Shogi:
- A Lion may capture an opposing Lion on a 'B' square, only if it also
made a capture on an 'A' square (unless the captured piece was a
'Pawn' or 'Go-Between'), or if the opposing Lion is undefended.
- If a player captures a Lion with a non-Lion piece, the opponent may
not capture a Lion except with another Lion, on his next turn.
These rules ensure that the 'Lions' which are the most powerful pieces in
Chu Shogi are on the board for most of the game.
The 'Horned Falcon' and 'Soaring Eagle' also have 'Lion' power, but only
in the directions indicated by Blue Circles on the Piece Help Screens.
There are no special rules concerning the capture of 'Horned Falcons' or
'Soaring Eagles'.
THE CROWN PRINCE
==================
The 'Drunk Elephant' is potentially a very important piece, as it promotes
to a 'Crown Prince'.
A player who gains a 'Crown Prince' effectively acquires a second 'King'
as the 'Crown Prince' must also be captured (or bared) before the opponent
can win the game.
PROMOTION
==========
Each player has a Promotion Zone consisting of the four ranks (rows of
squares) furthest away from him. All pieces except the 'King', 'Lion'
and 'Free King' have a promoted rank and can promote on entering, moving
within, or leaving the Promotion Zone. Promotion is not compulsory, but is
subject to the following restrictions:
- If a piece does not promote on entering the Promotion Zone it may not
promote on the next turn unless making a capture. The piece may, however,
promote on any subsequent turn (as long as part of the move is within the
Promotion Zone).
- If a 'Pawn' is not promoted on entering the Promotion Zone, it must remain
unpromoted until reaching the last (twelfth) rank, at which time it must
promote.
- A 'Lance' must promote on reaching the last rank (as it would otherwise
have no further legal move).
As in all the games in the Shogi family, in Chu Shogi sets the promoted
rank is shown on the reverse side of the piece, and the piece is turned
over on promotion to reveal the new rank.
CAPTURES
=========
Unlike in Shogi, captured pieces in Chu can not be 'dropped' back into
play. A captured piece is removed from play and takes no further part in
the game.
HANDICAP PLAY
===============
Handicaps are often given when players of unequal strength play Shogi in
Japan. The reason that handicap play is common is that the handicap system
in Shogi works far better than that used in Western Chess.
In a handicap game a player offers a handicap of one or more pieces to an
opponent of less strength. While Chu does not lend itself to handicaps as
well as Shogi (as there are no 'drops' in Chu), provision for handicap play
has nevertheless been included in this program.
The same rules for handicaps as in Shogi have been adopted. Under these
rules, the player offering the handicap plays 'White'and his opponent (as
'Black') removes the handicap pieces as the first move of the game. In
handicap play 'White' therefore makes the first move on the board.
NOTATION
==========
The following notation system is used for recording Chu Shogi games in this
program.
The files are designated by numbers (1 to 12), and the ranks by letters
(a to l). The files are numbered from right to left (in the Japanese
fashion), and the ranks from top to bottom (from Black's point of view).
The top right square is therefore 1a.
A move is described by giving:
a) the designation of the piece (eg: Ln for Lion); this designation is
preceded by a '+' if it is at its promoted rank,
b) followed by the method of moving;
'-' for a simple move on the board,
'x' for a capture,
c) then the destination square is recorded,
d) finally if the piece promoted on that turn, this is recorded by
adding '+' after the move, or if promotion was possible but was
refused, the symbol '=' is added.
If more than one piece of the same type can reach the destination square
then the starting square is also given after the piece designation to
avoid confusion.
When a 'Lion', 'Horned Falcon' or 'Soaring Eagle' captures by 'igui'
(ie: without moving) the square of the piece being captured is used
instead of the destination square, and this is preceded by the symbol '!'.
(eg: a Lion on 8c capturing a piece on 9d would be shown as Lnx!9d).
When a piece makes a double capture with 'Lion' powers both captures are
shown in the order that they were made. (eg: a Lion on 3g, capturing a
piece on 3h and then capturing another on 2i, would be represented by
Lnx3hx2i).
NOTE: This system is the official notation system of 'The Shogi
Association'.
DISPLAYING LEGAL MOVES
=========================
If the 'Show Move' option is selected from the Moves Menu, clicking the left
mouse button on a piece during play will show all the legal moves of that
piece:
- Legal moves to vacant squares are represented as White Circles,
- Legal captures are shown as Red Circles.
- Legal moves by a piece with 'Lion' powers to an 'A' square (including
captures) are shown as a Dark Blue Circle.
- Legal moves by a piece with 'Lion' powers to a 'B' square (including
captures) are indicated by a Light Blue Circle."
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